


kill a cockroach (and teach me how to love)

by jo1



Category: JO1 (Japan Band), Produce 101 (Japan TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, everyone’s the same age here lol, side tomosho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:09:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23244556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jo1/pseuds/jo1
Summary: “There’s a cockroach in my apartment.”Junki blinked. “So?”“So,” The man shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I need you to kill it.”or, where Junki fixes Minato's cockroach problem as well as his fear of love.
Relationships: Inoue Minato/Kono Junki
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: @bffsei

“Think of it as a fresh start,” Sho drawled, sprawled across the couch with his feet on the coffee table. “A new beginning. A chance to... rediscover yourself. Find out who the _real_ Kono Junki is, you know?”

“I know who he is,” Junki shoved his feet off the table. “He doesn’t appreciate being kicked out of his nice, comfortable, _affordable_ apartment.”

“Junki,” A third voice sighed, sitting gingerly on the couch as well. “You had to have known this was coming.”

Junki levelled a glare at his friends. “Did I mention it was affordable?”

“Quit whining,” Sho rolled his eyes and put his feet back on the table. “No way you would have lived with Tomo forever. Actually, scratch that — no way Tomo would have survived with you forever. I’m definitely an upgrade.”

“Hilarious,” Junki deadpanned. “Need I remind you who introduced the two of you to each other?”

“That was like, in sixth grade.” Sho shrugged.

“And we are very thankful for it,” Tomoaki cut in. “Listen, I know this isn’t exactly your number one choice —“

“— or two, three or even four —“

“But I think this will be good for you!” Tomoaki looked over at Sho and smiled brighter. “Branch out, make some new friends. You can do whatever you like here.”

“Get a boyfriend,” Sho pointed a lazy finger at Junki, who grimaced. “We’re tired of you being a third wheel.”

Tomoaki slapped his boyfriend’s shoulder, and Junki rolled his eyes. “Like I said, I’m the one who set you up. If I wanna third wheel, I can third wheel.”

“Man, I worry for you.” Sho sighed melodramatically. “It’s like, everyday in my head, I’m thinking: what can I do to help poor little Junki get back on his feet to stop him from being the pathetic loser he is?”

“You could help by getting _your_ feet off the table, for starters,” Junki kicked them this time, causing Sho to let out a soft whine. 

“That’s enough, you two.” Tomoaki frowned, and Sho put his hands up in defeat. Junki crossed his arms. “Listen, as an apology-slash-moving gift, why don’t Sho and I help put the rest of these boxes away while you go look around the complex, hm? Maybe get to know your neighbours?”

“Why would I want to do that?” Junki groaned, letting Tomoaki take a box out of his hands. 

“Because,” Tomoaki explained, beginning to open it. “It’s nice to make friends. Like I said, branch out, you know? And besides, Sho wasn’t really wrong.” Upon seeing Junki’s puzzled face, Tomoaki continued. “You _have_ been kind of a pathetic loser lately.”

“Unbelievable,” Junki flopped onto an armchair. “My own best friends, turning against me.”

“Speak for yourself,” Sho called out, now mindlessly scrolling through his phone. “I still consider you an acquaintance.”

“Acquaintances don’t call each other at 3am asking for leftover nachos and guacamole.”

“What?” Sho said when he noticed the two staring at him quizzically. “I get snacky sometimes.”

“Why you chose him, I’ll never know.” Junki mumbled, fiddling with a loose thread on the chair.

“Shut up, he loves me.” Sho stuck his tongue out, and Tomoaki mouthed a small _it’s true_ before turning his attention back to the box. “Shouldn’t you be leaving right about now?”

“Kicked out of my own home,” Junki huffed, but got to his feet nonetheless. “I’m getting deja vu.”

“Little baby Junki can’t handle being outside alone? You want me to come babysit?” Sho’s smirk practically had a voice of its own. 

“You know what, I do need to leave.” Junki headed to the door, slipping his shoes on. “I can _feel_ my brain cells killing themselves.”

“Have fun!” Tomoaki yelled as Junki closed the door behind him. “Make a friend!”

Junki’s first thought? It was cold. 

Looking back, he didn’t quite remember why he thought it would be a good idea to visit the front of the apartment building in the middle of winter, but he was here now. And he hated it. 

“Sir, are you lost?” The security guard had been watching Junki worriedly for the last 5 minutes, and he couldn’t blame her. 

“Oh, uh, no. I live here.” He gestured towards the 7th floor vaguely. “Moved in just today, actually.”

“Can I ask why you’re out here then?” She raised an eyebrow, still evidently concerned. “It’s quite cold, you know.”

“Maybe I like the cold.”

“Sir, I think your goosebumps have goosebumps.”

“And maybe I like that.”

At that, the security guard shrugged and walked away, muttering something about how kids these days couldn’t look after themselves well. Junki turned his attention to the front of the building again, staring at the concrete. 

He missed his old apartment. Sure, it was older and more run down that this one, but it had memories and warmth and gave off more of a feeling of “home” than his actual childhood home had. Even now, if you asked him to talk about the place he called “home”, he’d describe a ratty old couch, a kitchen with a faulty sink, Tomoaki’s weird space posters, Sho’s workout equipment all over the place (and the bastard didn’t even live there), and a little bird that always sat at the edge of his window. 

This? This was not his home. This was a way-out-of-his-price-range, modern, sophisticated building that would probably be fit for the royal family of a third world country. It was tall, and dark, and overwhelming, so much so that Junki couldn’t find it in himself to walk back in there. Because walking back in there meant acknowledging it as his home, and he didn’t know if he was ready for that just yet. 

He knew, deep down, that he was being unreasonable. This was a great place to live, and he was lucky Tomoaki’s coworker had gotten him a discount, even if it was a little smaller than he’d hoped. It was located in the city centre, cut down his travel time which meant he could sleep in longer, and he was still close to Tomoaki and Sho. And it wasn’t anything against Sho, either — as much as he hated to admit it, he was glad the two of them had each other, and honestly? He wanted something like what they had for himself. 

Sho was right. He _was_ becoming a pathetic loser. The last boyfriend he’d had was in college, and they only really dated because he was smart and Junki needed free tutoring. Deep down inside, he hoped Sho was right, too, about this place holding an opportunity for — dare he say it — _love_. Maybe he wasn’t the greatest fan of being a third wheel, despite appearances. 

He sighed. It would all be so much easier if the love of his life could just pop up in front of him, you know? If they could just show up, unprompted, and —

“Sorry to interrupt your coming-of-age moment,” a voice interrupted suddenly. “But could you let me in?”

Junki frowned. “I’m not a doorman. I don’t work here.”

“If I’d known the service was this terrible, I would never have moved in.” The man shoved his hands in his pockets, and suddenly, Junki missed his own coat. 

“Don’t care.” Junki stepped away from the door. “Besides, since when have apartment buildings had doormen?”

“Since forever, I’d hoped.” The man rocked to and fro on his heels, and Junki watched the dangly earring of his sway in time with the motion. “Do you know how many different bacteria are on those things? The handles?”

“A lot, I’m guessing.”

“At least 50 different species.” The man grimaced. “And that doesn’t even cover the amount of _each_ species on the handle.”

“So? Just wash your hands.” Junki shrugged, not missing how the man’s jaw dropped. 

“God, I hate this place.” The man finally said, pinching his temple. “Whatever. Move out the way, I’m going in.”

“Be my guest,” Junki muttered, as the man walked in, his shoulder hitting Junki’s chest in a way the latter knew was on purpose. 

God, he wanted to go home.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Tomoaki’s eyes were wide with worry, and behind him, Sho’s eyes fell back into a roll. 

“Tomo, for the last time, Junki is not seven years old. He can survive on his own.” 

“But what if he—?”

“He’s got neighbours.”

“Okay, but they could—“

“There’s a live-in superintendent.”

“Right, but there’s always a chance that—“

“Worst comes to worst, he’s got a phone, he’ll call us.” Sho let out a sigh, looking at Junki expectantly. “Right?”

Junki crosses his arms, leaning against his doorway. “I’ll call _Tomo_ , you mean. I’d rather be murdered or eaten by a giant spider than ask _you_ for help.”

Sho frowned, grinning slightly. “Fucker.”

“Alright, enough you two.” Tomoaki sighed, and then took in a deep breath, eyes locked on Junki. “Sho’s right though, Junki, if you need anything at all—“

“—I’ll call you, even if it’s ass-o’clock in the morning.” Junki smiled softly. “Tomo, I know I complained a lot, but I’ll be fine, promise. I can look after myself.”

“I know you can, it’s just — we’ve lived together for ages, you know? It’s weird having to leave.” Tomoaki frowned at the floor. 

“Hey,” Sho’s voice was gentle, and he lifted his arm to softly squeeze his boyfriend’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be worried for him, but if you never let him go a day alone, then he really won’t be able to look after himself. Technically, you’re doing him a favour, Tomo.”

“He’s right.” Junki admitted, ignoring Sho’s smug look of satisfaction. “I’ve lived with you since college, Tomo, and as fun as it was, I need to branch out, like you said. Look after myself, get other friends—“

“—Get a boyfriend—“

“Sho, I will kill you.”

“Okay,” Tomoaki finally said. He nodded once, then again. “If you say you’ll be fine, then I trust you. But you know we’re here for you, right?”

“Of course I know,” Junki smirked. “Why else would I keep you two around?”

At that, Tomoaki began to laugh, and Sho slung his arms around his boyfriend and Junki’s shoulders. “It’s gonna be weird without you, you little shit.”

“I’m not leaving forever, dork. I just don’t have to see your stupid face 24/7 anymore.” Junki shrugged the shoulder off, before extending his fist out to Sho. “Be good to him, okay?”

Sho rolled his eyes, but lightly returned the fist bump. “As if I’ve ever done anything else.”

“You know what I mean,” Junki huffed, and Sho smiled softly, because he did.

“Alright, we should let Junki get settled.” Tomoaki nudged his boyfriend gently, and Sho let his hand around him drop, using it to link their fingers instead. “We’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, okay.” Junki agreed, watching as they began to head out. “Get home safe.”

Junki stayed out until Sho’s waving hand disappeared from view, and then finally made his way back inside the — _his_ apartment. 

He was about to be robbed. 

That was the first thought that raced through Junki’s head when the doorbell rang, before he realised that a robber wouldn’t be so polite as to ask permission before robbing him. His next thought was that something had happened to either Tomoaki or Sho, but a quick glance at his phone showed no missed calls, so it was unlikely that anything had actually happened. 

The doorbell rang again, startling Junki out of his thoughts. His eyes whipped through his bedroom quickly before landing on a hair straightener, and he walked over to pick it up. Holding it out in front of him like a knife, he slowly crept towards the front door, his heart in his mouth. 

When he looked through the eyehole, he could only make out a tuft of black hair, so he took a deep breath, slapped on the scariest glare he could muster, and swung the door open, only to see —

“You,” Junki breathed out, the tension in his shoulders leaving him along with his breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, it’s the germ guy.” The man in front of him’s eyes were wide with surprise. “Is that a hair straightener?”

Junki frowned, before looking down at his hands. “No.” He tossed the straightener onto the couch. “Is this because I didn’t open the door for you? How do you know which one my apartment is?”

“Calm down,” The man stifled a yawn. “I’m only here because the neighbour on the other side of my apartment wouldn’t open up. I didn’t know you lived here.”

Fair enough, Junki assumed. “Okay, I don’t know what you’re used to, but generally we tend to meet our neighbours when the sun is out. Not at 3am.”

“There’s a cockroach in my apartment.”

Junki blinked. “So?”

“So,” The man shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I need you to kill it.”

“Wh— me? Why?” 

“Because they’re gross,” The man huffed, crossing his arms. Junki distantly noticed he didn’t have his dangly earring on anymore. “And you don’t even care about germs.”

“Absolutely not,” Junki shook his head as aggressively as he could. “Cockroaches are disgusting. Good luck.”

“No, wait!“ Before Junki could shut the door, the man stuck his foot in to block it. “I know this isn’t ideal, but do you think I’d voluntarily be asking for help at 3am in the morning?”

“I don’t know anything about you, except that you don’t like germs and that you’re apparently my neighbour now.” Junki retorted, opening the door again. “I also hate cockroaches, so I have literally no reason to help you. Goodnight.”

“I said _wait_ , you jerk.” The man grumbled, slamming a hand on the door so Junki couldn’t shut it again. “My name is Inoue Minato. I’m 24. I moved in 2 weeks ago. I like fashion and collecting manga.”

Junki raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”

“Now you know enough about me to help, right?” The man’s — Minato’s — anger began to fade away from his face, replacing itself with fear. “I don’t know anything about you, either, but I’m so scared of this stupid fucking bug that I’m willing to let a complete stranger into my home so that they can kill it. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“Fine,” Junki didn’t know where this was coming from, but honestly, he was tired, and if killing a cockroach meant he could go back to sleep, then so be it. “Lead the way.”

“Alright, it’s gone.” Junki re-entered the living room, where a terrified Minato sat, hugging his knees. 

“Thank fucking God,” Minato breathed out, letting his head fall back to the couch pillow and closing his eyes for a few seconds. Then, as if remembering Junki was still there, he cracked an eye open. “Thanks, uh —“

“Junki,” he filled in. “And it’s fine.”

“Yeah,” Minato got up off the couch, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry you had to deal with that.”

“Yeah, well, at least it’s gone now.” Junki shrugged, taking off the gloves that Minato had insisted he wear. 

“You’re sure, right?” Minato let his hand fall. “Like, did you check —?”

“— I checked everywhere and anywhere I could.” Junki rolled his eyes. “Seriously, it was just a tiny little cockroach. With the way you were describing it, I thought it was gonna be like, the size of my hand, or something.”

Minato crossed his arms, frowning. “Tiny, but full of diseases and germs and God knows what else. As if I would touch something like that.”

Junki snorted, stopping at the doorway and raising an eyebrow. “But it’s okay to let me do it?”

“Yes,” Minato huffed, heading toward the door as well. “You don’t even care about germs.”

“Whatever, man.” Junki didn’t want to start anything that would have lengthened his time away from his bed. “Goodnight.”

“Wait!” Minato yelled, before Junki could leave. “I almost forgot something.”

Puzzled, Junki watched as Minato darted back into his apartment. He then took the time to take in said apartment, and — _oh_ , it was so much nicer than his. The walls were all white, safe from a black feature wall, that saw a TV mounted on it along with a series of potted houseplants. One of the walls had a framed set of pictures, some with Minato in them, some without. Another wall was covered with a giant bookcase, filled with what Junki assumed was the manga Minato mentioned collecting. Everything in the house was coordinated according to a black and white theme and screamed _I’m rich!_ , only further reminding Junki how sad and pathetic his own apartment was.

“Here,” Minato said upon reappearing. “This is for you.”

Junki looked down at the outstretched hand, eyes tripled in size upon seeing the wad of cash in it. “What?”

“I said, it’s for you,” Minato nudged if toward Junki, who instinctively took a step back. “Since, you know, you killed the cockroach.”

“Yeah, but I — God, how much _is_ this?” 

“13,000¥.” 

“Minato, what the _fuck_?”

“Hey, I didn’t have to pay you, you know.” Minato glared, bringing his hand back into himself. 

“What? No, you — you’re right, you didn’t have to pay me.” Junki shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “You _don’t_ need to pay me. In fact, you’re not paying me, because I’m not taking this.”

Minato frowned, confused, and looked down at the money again. “What are you getting out of this, then?” 

“What am I—? God, I’m just helping with a cockroach, not slaying a demon.” Junki took in a deep breath. “I’m just helping out. You don’t pay your neighbour for helping you out.”

“You don’t pay your neighbour for helping you out?” Minato repeated, dumbstruck. “That’s stupid. You said so yourself, you had no reason to help me out, so I’m giving you one. I don’t get why you won’t take it.” 

“I only really said that because I was tired, I — I’m sorry if I made you feel like you had to pay me, man, that’s not what I meant.”

“Whatever, your loss.” Minato shrugged and put the money on a table with his keys. “You’re missing out on a lot of money, you know.”

“Not everything’s about money.” Junki crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. “Sometimes you just help people to be nice.”

Minato’s face hardened, as if Junki’s words had triggered something in him. “Being nice doesn’t give you anything. Money’s the only guarantee to survival.”

“Minato?” Junki’s eyebrows raised in shock. “That’s a super sad outlook to have on life. Seriously.”

“What? I’m being realistic.” Minato frowned. “We live in a money-hungry society. Dog-eat-dog. How else do you expect to survive? You think being nice pays the bills?”

Junki snorted. “You must be fun at parties.”

“I don’t go to parties. Waste of money and time.”

“Okay, look.” Junki stops up straight, stretching his arms. “I could sit here and argue with you about this, but it’s late, and I’m tired. All I’m trying to say is that —“

“I don’t care.” Minato stepped forward with so much energy, that Junki automatically retreated back, finding himself in the hallway. “I called you to kill a cockroach, you killed it. I offered to pay you for it, you refused. That’s all there is to it. I don’t care if you’re stupid and naive, that’s none of my business.”

Junki couldn’t help it, he laughed. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Whatever.”

“Okay, fine. When you put it like that, I’m not gonna argue.” Junki placed his hands in his pockets. “Goodnight, I guess.” 

Minato leaned against the doorframe, frown as intimidating as ever. “Yeah. Thanks again.”

“No worries.” Junki watched as Minato shut the door, mouthed a little _What the fuck was that?_ , and then headed home, where he planned to just fall asleep and forget any of this had even happened in the first place. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re wasting your time,” Minato warned. “I’m not going to change my mind.”
> 
> Junki shrugged. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter: @bffsei

“You look like death.”

“Thanks,” Junki sighed, letting his head drop into his palms. “I can always count on you to make me feel better.”

Sho frowned, arms crossed, as he looked Junki up and down. “Actually, I take it back. Calling you death is too considerate.”

“Right,” Junki began massaging his temples. “Where is Tomo, again?”

“Work. Doctor stuff, I don’t know.” Sho shrugged, now stirring his coffee. He leaned back in his chair, taking a sip from it. “So, how many times do I have to insult you for you to tell me what happened? Because I can keep going —“

“I didn’t sleep last night.” Junki groaned, dragging his head back up and letting it lean against the chair instead. “My stupid neighbour kept me up for ages.”

Sho raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Not like that, you pervert.” Junki rolled his eyes. “Jesus.”

“Oh.”

“He had a cockroach in his apartment. Asked me to kill it. Tried to pay me for it after, and when I said no, he said something about me being naive, I don’t know.” Junki shrugged. “Took forever to go back to sleep after that.”

“You really can’t handle criticism, can you?”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Junki raised an eyebrow, glaring at Sho’s sheepish smile. “It was weird, though. He’s my age, but he talks like a 50-year-old man who’s lived through seven economic recessions.”

“So the man’s obsessed with money.” Sho put his cup down, fiddling with his watch. “Big deal. Not necessarily something to lose sleep over, though.”

“I mean, yeah,” Junki admitted. “Yeah, it’s stupid. Whatever.”

“Again, I could keep insulting you until you tell me what’s really up, or you could just —“

“Seeing that guy reminded me I’m not at home anymore.” Junki blurted. Sho’s eyes widened, but his mouth snapped shut. “Because when I woke up in the middle of the night, Tomo wasn’t there when I opened the door, and you weren’t there to kill the cockroach, and it just — it sucks.”

Sho’s gaze softened. “Junki.”

“I’m happy for you two, I promise, despite whatever I say.” Junki shook his head, smiling softly. “I’m glad you’ve moved in together. But, I don’t know, now that you guys have sort of, reiterated that you have each other, it just sort of reminds me that I don’t have anyone.”

“Quit saying stuff like that,” Sho frowned as Junki shrugged. “Hey, no, I mean it — you’ll always have me and Tomo, Junki, I — I’m sorry if we made you feel left out.”

“Yeah, I’ll have you as friends, but soon you’ll get married, and I can’t keep hanging around like this forever.” Junki ran a hand through his hair. “Without the two of you, I’d have no one.”

“Is this...” Sho trailed off, clearing his throat. “Something you’ve struggled with for a while now?”

Junki stared at Sho’s coffee mug. “I guess.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because,” Junki fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. “You’ve got your gym friends. Tomo has his work friends. You both are doing so well, and I — I didn’t wanna make you feel bad because I’m not.”

“Junki, I —“

“It’s fine.” Junki shook his head. “It’s fine. You get used to it after a while.”

At that, Sho frowned. “You get used to it?”

“I mean, yeah.” Junki shrugged, looking away. “You can’t keep feeling sorry for yourself forever, you know.”

“Right,” Sho nodded once, then again. “Okay. Move over, Junki.”

At that, Junki looked up, confusion evident on his face. “What?”

Sho got up, heading over to Junki’s side of the table. “Move. You can’t have this whole bench to yourself, jerk.”

“I — okay?” Junki shifted over slightly, watching as Sho sat down beside him. They maintained eye contact for a tense few seconds, before Sho’s expression moulded into a worried frown and he attacked Junki with the most aggressive bear hug the latter had ever experienced in his life. “ _Ow_ , Sho.”

“Don’t ever think that again,” Sho grumbled, and his voice was harsher than usual. “I’m serious. If I hear that you’re saying dumb shit like this again, I’ll punch you in the nose.”

“Stop that,” Junki whined. “You’re going to snap me in half.”

“Junki,” Sho continued, pulling away. “Before I met you and Tomo, yeah I had friends, but they were _nothing_ compared to you guys.” When Junki rolled his eyes, Sho frowned. “I mean it. I’d give up all of them in a heartbeat to make sure you’re in my life forever.”

“That’s gross.” Junki stuck his tongue out defiantly, and Sho rolled his eyes. “But that’s also my point exactly — you guys have a backup option. I don’t.”

Sho studied Junki for a few moments. “Are Tomo and I good friends to you?”

“Did you not hear what I said?” Junki crossed his arms. “Yeah, you are, but how does that —“

“Why would you get a backup for something that doesn’t need one?” Sho interrupted, and Junki fell silent. “We’re not going anywhere, Junki. We’re here for you, always.”

Tears began to well up in Junki’s eyes, and he let his arms fall to his sides. “I miss home. I miss you guys.”

“We miss you too, God, I —“ Sho let out a sigh, frustrated. “I should have known this wouldn’t be easy for you, Junki, I — I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Junki sniffed, offering his friend a watery smile. “I just wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

“It sucks, doesn’t it?” Sho wrapped an arm around Junki and pulled him in so that Junki’s head was resting on his shoulder. “I wish I could make this better for you.”

“You’re doing fine, dork.” Junki shook his head. “I — I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will,” Sho sighed again. “But seeing you struggle before you get there is the _worst_.”

“No, I mean it.” Junki sat up suddenly, much to Sho’s confusion. “It’s not your fault. I’ll — make a friend, not as a backup option, but to give me a sense of home when you guys aren’t around.”

“You don’t need to do that.” Sho was frowning again. “If you ever feel like you’re missing home, we’ll come to you.”

“No way,” Junki wiped his eyes forcefully. “I don’t want you guys to have to tiptoe around me, I — you deserve better than that, and I do too.”

Sho took that in, his frown easing slightly. “So, what’s your plan, then?”

“I’ll branch out, like you said.” Junki took a deep breath, then nodded. “Maybe I could even be friends with my neighbour cockroach guy, or something. The point is, I don’t want to have to depend on you anymore.”

“You’re not a burden, if that’s what you —“

“No, I know.” Junki smiled wider. “You guys have done so much for me, so now I want to do the same for you. I’ll make a friend, to give you space and to give me strength, but I won’t ever replace you, I’ll just —“

“—branch out, I got it.” Sho laughed, shaking his head. “God, Junki, you’re strong as hell, you know that?”

Junki snorted, rolling his eyes. “Says the man who’s biceps are the size of my head.”

“You know what I mean,” Sho punched Junki’s shoulder, but there was no heat behind it. “You’re dealing with this really well, man.”

“I have to.” Junki shrugged. “I want to.”

“Well, Tomo and I are still here for you.” Sho reaches over for his coffee again. “So if you’re excited about the new friends you’ve made, or upset because of what your friends did and need someone to beat them up, then come to us, okay?”

“What, you don’t think I can beat them up myself?”

Sho’s eyes radiated pity. “Junki, let’s not get delusional.”

“Mean,” Junki frowned, and Sho smiled. “But, yeah, I know. Thanks.”

“Alright,” Sho got up, groaning as he stretched out his back. “I gotta go pick up Tomo from work. You wanna come with?”

Junki looked down at his hands. He thought about how lucky he was, to have Sho here with him and Tomoaki worrying about him even at work, and smiled. “Nah, I think I’ll just head home.”

Sho returned his smile. “Of course.”

When the elevator doors opened, Junki frowned. 

Because with their back against the wall, knees drawn against their chest, someone was sitting next to his doorstep. The man let his head move forward to rest on top of his knees, and as soon as Junki saw their dangly earring move, he knew who it was. 

“Minato?” he asked, cautiously, walking towards his apartment. 

“Oh, germ boy.” Minato looked up, and nodded by way of greeting. 

Junki’s scowl deepened. “You know that’s not my name.”

“Yeah,” Minato smirked. “But it’s funny anyway.”

Junki rolled his eyes. “What are you doing out here?”

“Locked out. Give me your hand.”

At that, Junki’s hands froze at his doorknob. “What?”

“I said, give me your hand.” Noticing Junki’s puzzled expression, Minato sighed. “Calm down, Romeo, I just need help getting up. You’re lucky I’m even offering to touch those germ coated hands of yours.”

Junki raised his eyebrows. “Oh, yeah. I made sure to touch every railing, every door handle, every street pole. I’m filthy.” 

“Don’t joke about that.”

“Yeah,” Junki said, offering his hand. Once Minato pulled himself up, he grinned. “But it’s funny anyway.”

Minato narrowed his eyes. “Hilarious.”

“So, what happened?” Junki asked, crossing his arms. “Did you lock your keys in?” 

“Left them at a friend’s.” Minato then gestured at his phone. “Tried calling, but they’re not picking up.”

Junki nodded at that, and then the two lapsed into silence. Objectively, Junki knew this would be the perfect option to make a friend — welcome him in to his apartment until Minato’s friend arrived with his keys, making good on his declaration to Sho. But looking over at Minato now, who was grinning at something on his phone, did it have to be him? Did his first outside friend have to be the guy who insulted him before waking him up at 3am to kill a cockroach? And that’s assuming that Minato would even want to be his friend — the guy was dressed in all black, even down to his nails. He had a dangly earring along with two helix piercings, and a chain around his waist. A cross necklace sat on his chest, and the rips in his shirt looked like he’d been mauled. Was this the kind of guy who wanted to make friends? Was this the kind of guy Junki even _wanted_ as a friend?

Then, Junki was hit with the sobering realisation that he didn’t really have the liberty to be selective about this. He was judging Minato by the cover — maybe the guy was nice. Maybe he helped old ladies cross the street in their free time. Maybe he ran several non-profit organisations full time. Or maybe he was the leader of a satanic cult and “at a friend’s” was just code for goat sacrifice. The point was, Junki couldn’t say anything until he tried. 

“Did you forget how to open a door?” Minato scoffed, snapping Junki out of his internal monologue. “Or do you just like loitering outside your own apartment?”

Junki took a deep breath. “No, actually, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come in.”

That caught Minato off guard, visibly. His smirk fell, and his eyes widened, even if by just a little. “What? Why?”

“Because,” Junki shrugged, feeling increasingly unsure about what he was doing. “Who knows how long it’ll be until your friend responds to you? Besides, we don’t want someone to complain about you loitering, or something.”

Minato’s eyes narrowed. “Or something.” He studied Junki up and down for a few moments. Junki felt his heart hammering in his chest and distantly prayed Minato couldn’t hear it. “Alright.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I’ll come in.” Minato shrugged, and put his phone in his pocket, crossing his arms. 

"Oh," Junki blinked once, then again. He swallowed. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Minato raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you gonna open the door?”

“What? Oh, right.” Shaking his head, Junki did as he was told, letting the two of them in. “Make yourself at home.”

“Pardon the intrusion,” Minato muttered softly, taking his shoes off at the door. His eyes scanned the area, and Junki suddenly realised what a mess his apartment was. “Nice place.”

“Thanks,” Junki threw his keys on the dining table and headed into the kitchen. “You want something to drink?”

“Water’s fine,” Minato responded, following Junki into the kitchen. 

“Here,” Junki slid a glass over to the other man, who nodded once before drinking from it. “So, find any cockroaches recently?”

Minato glared over the rim of the glass. “Funny,” he said, putting the glass down. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I haven’t.”

Junki shrugged, picking up the glass and putting it in the sink. “Oh, I definitely think it’s more my business than yours.” When he returned, Minato was sitting on the island counter, legs swinging. “I’m the one who woke up at 3 am to kill it, anyway.”

“You don’t have to keep bringing that up, you know.” Minato mumbled, staring at his feet. “I only called you because I couldn’t ask anyone else.”

Suddenly, Junki was hit with a pang of guilt. “Oh, I didn’t mean —“

“Yeah, I know.” Minato looked up, and smirked. “It’s funny to watch you fluster.”

Junki narrowed his eyes. “Fucker.”

“So, be honest.” Minato hopped off the counter in one smooth movement, standing so he was looking Junki in the eye. “What do you want from me?”

“Uh,” Junki raised an eyebrow, clearing his throat. “What?”

“You helped me once, and turned down the reward.” Minato said, counting on his fingers. “And now you’re helping me again — did you change your mind about the money? Are you here to ask for more? Because let me tell you, I offered you a _very_ generous amount, so —“

“Minato,” Junki shook his head, more tired than annoyed. “I say this in the most respectful way possible: shut the fuck up.”

Minato faltered, hand falling. “What?” 

“I don’t care about your money.” Junki shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. “Like I said, sometimes people just help to be nice. I felt bad leaving you out there while you waited for your keys.”

“So you pity me?”

“Wh — no, stop interpreting everything I say wrong.” Junki huffed. “I just knew that I would appreciate it if someone did the same for me, that’s all. No hidden conditions.”

“I call bullshit.” Minato took a step toward Junki, who rolled his eyes. “No one’s like that. You can’t keep that act going forever, you know.”

“Wow,” Junki took in a deep breath. “Minato. No one cares about your stupid money.”

“You say that, but —“ Suddenly, Minato faltered, frowning. “Wait, you’re serious.” 

Junki mirrored the other’s expression. “I mean, yeah. I’ve said this so many times now. I don’t care about your money.”

Minato’s gaze wouldn’t leave Junki’s. “Why?”

“Why don’t I care?”

“Yeah,” Minato cleared his throat. “How come you don’t care? Are you rich?”

Junki snorted at that. “I wish. No, I’m just... comfortable, I guess.” He sighed, rubbing his hand at the back of his neck. “I mean, yeah, it’d be nice to have more money, but there’s so much more to life than that, you know.”

The other man fell silent at that, breaking his gaze away to stare at his fingers, which were fiddling with the chain on his waist. “I don’t believe you.”

“What’s that now?”

“I said, I don’t believe you.” Minato dropped the chain, shaking his head. “It’s impossible to live without thinking of money, Junki, I — this was a mistake.” His eyes nervously darted around the room, uneasy. “I should go.”

“Wait!” Junki latched onto Minato’s arm before he could leave. When he was sure the other wouldn’t dart towards the door, he slowly let go. “Um. You don’t have your keys.”

At that, Minato laughed bitterly. “Of course.”

A moment of silence grew into a minute of silence, building up until Junki felt like he was suffocating. It didn't surprise him, that with nearly sixteen years of inexperience, he wasn't really good at this whole 'making a friend' thing. It'd been ten minutes, and all he'd done was give Minato a glass of water and make him so uneasy that he tried to _flee_. Junki felt terrible. 

But then, he looked over at Minato, who looked every bit uncomfortable. His face said everything Junki was afraid to, and somehow it calmed him down. Because even though he looked downright miserable, he wasn't trying to leave. He was still giving Junki a chance, whether or not he realised it. And Junki was not about to give that up. 

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Junki asked, crossing his arms. “Who the hell wears chains as a belt?”

Minato frowned, looking down at said accessory. “This isn’t a belt. It’s a —”

“That's one of the first things I noticed about you. You're really weird, man. I don't get it. You're frowning all the time, your clothes look like they're older than you and I are _combined_ , you've got a bookcase lining your wall filled with manga like a nerd, but you still manage to look terrifying? And you've got the weirdest obsession with germs— ” Junki rambled. 

“I really hope there’s a silver lining to this, or I’m going to have to punch you.”

“You’re weird.” Junki locked eyes with Minato. “So weird. But I feel like you’re a good guy. Us hanging out shouldn’t be just because you’re locked out, or because you feel like you owe me something.”

Minato deepened his frown. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying, I wanna be your friend.” Junki finally smiled, making Minato’s eyes widen in surprise. “I hate that you live your life like this. I wanna be your friend, and show you that there’s more to life than paying bills.”

“You’re wasting your time,” Minato warned. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

Junki shrugged. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“You’re the weird one.” Minato muttered. “Why do you keep trying to help if you know you’re not going to get anything out of it?”

“I am getting something. A friend.” When Minato rolled his eyes, Junki continued. “Look, I’m not a popular guy. I’ve got two friends, and they go all the way back to like, elementary school. I haven’t made a friend in forever.”

“So? Your problem, not mine.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m trying to fix it.” Junki i crossed his arms, rubbing the back of his neck. “Like I said, you seem like a good guy. And I have close to no friends. So if I can make a friend and help make you think about the world a little nicer, too, then... it solves both our problems, right?”

Minato’s features softened. “You’re doing this for you, then. Not for me. Because I don’t have a problem with the way I think.”

“Not for you — on purpose.” Junki elaborated. “If you want to pay me back for helping you out, then consider this. Although I _am_ counting on this friendship thing working both ways.”

“You’re strange.” Minato admitted. “I can’t figure you out. Every time I think I’m getting closer, you’ll say something stupid like this, and I’m back to where I’ve started.”

Junki grinned. “All part of my charm.”

Minato fiddled with his fingers for a few seconds, then nodded. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I wanna get even. And you’re obviously not going to leave me alone unless I say yes, so we may as well.”

“Okay,” Junki couldn’t help it, his smile widened. “Okay. Wanna go to the arcade tomorrow?”

Minato visibly paled. “Tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Junki nodded, pulling out his phone. “I’ve only just moved here, but I heard about this really good place — oh, here’s the picture.” He waved the screen in the other’s face, but Minato only vacantly blinked. “Hey, you’ve only just moved in here too, right? Have you been?”

“Uh, no.” Minato cleared his throat. “Isn’t this moving a little too fast?”

“Fast? There’s no such thing as fast in friendship.” Junki shook his head. “When I became friends with Tomo, I went to a sleepover with him that same day.”

Minato raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I have no idea who that is. Also, weren’t you like, seven?”

“Point is,” Junki put his phone away into his jeans. “It’s not fast unless you think it is. So quit thinking it.”

“Oh, wow.” Minato’s voice was as flat as the counter he was drawing lazy eights on with his finger. “You did it. You made this _not_ weird.”

“Just try it out, okay?” Junki reasoned. “It’s fun. Plus, I’ve been practising DDR lately, and I’d love to kick your ass.”

Minato scoffed, pulling his finger away. “You really think you can beat me?”

“No, you’re right, I don’t think I can beat you.” Minato raised an eyebrow, and Junki smiled. “I know I can.”

“You little shit,” Minato cursed, but he was smiling too. “Alright, I’m in. Noon. Don’t be late or you’ll automatically lose.”

Junki laughed at that. “I’ll be there.” 


End file.
